These days, most of us subscribe to streaming services for our entertainment needs. This is especially true for cord-cutters who have cancelled their cable in favor of going it alone.

However, there's no central dashboard from where you can manage your streaming services. And no central repository showing what to watch and where. Thankfully, there's an app for that.

Here are the essential apps for cord-cutters everywhere. Which, once installed, will help you get the most out of your media streaming subscriptions.

1. JustWatch

JustWatch is the ultimate TV guide for streaming platforms. It lets you browse the catalogs of almost every service out there, including Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.

In addition, JustWatch organizes the content based on how popular they are, when they were released, and more. Tapping on a show or movie will allow you to go through its episodes, ratings, essential details like the cast, and the platforms on which it's available to watch.

One of the handiest utilities JustWatch brings is the ability to search all streaming services together. Therefore if there's a movie or series you'd like to watch, you can simply search for it and JustWatch will tell you where it's streaming. You can even filter recommendations and results by the subscriptions you have.

There are a bunch of other tools JustWatch comes with, including a watchlist, a data saver mode, and a timeline of the recently updated or released shows and movies.

 

2. Bobby / Subscriptions

To ensure you're not charged every month for a service you don't necessarily use, you need a subscription manager. These apps allow you to keep tabs on each and every recurring payment so that you can cut back wherever possible.

Plus, you can find out when a subscription is due, enabling you to avoid any unexpected charges from your bank. Subscription managers are not restricted to streaming apps either. You can set up other subscriptions as well using the custom option. The majority of them have a built-in backup functionality too in case you're switching phones.

Download: Bobby for iOS (Free)

Download: Subscriptions for Android (Free)

3. TV Time

If you constantly juggle between numerous TV shows, you probably lose track of them more often than not. Enter TV Time, an app where you can easily follow the shows you regularly watch and get notified when a new episode has aired.

Plus, TV Time has an "Explore" feature through which you can browse what everyone else is tuning into. You can connect your social profiles to view your friends' activities as well.

On top of that, TV Time features a nifty statistic which reveals how much time you've spent watching those shows.

Download: TV Time for Android | iOS (Free)

4. Vidangel

For parents who occasionally prefer binge-watching with their family, Vidangel is a godsend. Vidangel breaks down parental ratings and tells you everything you need to know before playing a new episode or movie. For instance, Vidangel displays the levels of profanity, nudity, and more.

Vidangel is only compatible with a handful of services for now, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and HBO. If you opt for the premium subscription, you can even configure predetermined filters enabling Vidangel to list content you can watch without you checking parental ratings first.

Download: Vidangel for Android | iOS (Free, premium subscription available)

5. Watcha

The biggest dilemma perhaps every cord-cutter faces daily is deciding what to watch next. An app called Watcha tries to solve that by learning your tastes.

Watcha asks you to rate a few movies and TV shows before you begin. Once done, it builds a "Predicted Rating" for you which is an estimate of how you would score something you haven't watched. It then suggests new content which has the highest rating and matches your past viewing activities.

As you watch more content Watcha's recommendations improve and eventually eliminate the tiring process of choosing what to stream. Watcha has a couple of other tricks up its sleeve.

There's a watchlist feature, the ability to search particular artists and titles, and more. Watcha also has an active community which regularly comments on listings to help you make more informed decisions.

Download: Watcha for Android | iOS (Free)

6. Rave

Consuming content online can be a bit lonely, especially if your friends don't live nearby. Thankfully, there are ways you can stream with them.

With apps like Rave, you can watch videos in real-time with your friends as long as all the members have a solid internet connection. You can even chat during an ongoing playback to share reactions.

Rave also lets you play a local file through cloud storage services such as Google Drive, Google Photos, and Dropbox. In addition, you can join public groups and interact with strangers while viewing your favorite show.

Rave supports both audio and video platforms. At the time of writing, it's compatible with a series of leading platforms, including Netflix.

If you'd like to do the same on your computer, here are some ways to watch Netflix together with friends far away.

Download: Rave for Android | iOS (Free)

Not All Streaming Services Cost Money

These apps for cord-cutters on Android and iOS should make your life a lot easier. Unfortunately, they won't help make streaming any cheaper, especially if you subscribe to a number of different services to make use of their variety of content.

To reduce the costs associated with streaming services, we recommend checking out the best free movie streaming websites available online right now.